Colin Cowherd Baker Mayfield

The Perfect Sized Football Player

When it comes to what size you are suppose to be at a certain position on the football field, it is often thought in society that players in football are much bigger than they really are. This may be how the game used to be 10-15 years ago, but football has actual gotten smaller at positions we think only the tallest or heaviest players are dominating at. The best defensive player in the NFL Aaron Donald according to Todd Gurley is "the perfect size", as he has the quickest "get off" in the NFL and is built like a destructive cannon ball. Much like James Harrison, who is listed at 6'0, I am not sure he is 6'1 as every network seems to "round up" for every athlete. Doug Flutie proved that the Baker Mayfield's of the world can play at a pro bowl level and lead teams at the highest level of football to victories. Rob Johnson replaced Doug Flutie in the playoffs after a pro bowl season from Flutie and found himself very stagnant in the pocket and was sacked time and time again. This was the same case with the overrated Brock Osweiler and many other highly touted taller, but less mobile quarterbacks. Antonio Brown is on the cover of Madden 2019 this season and he is listed at 5'10,186lbs, which again he is probably more like 5'9. Over the past three years in assisting some of the top collegiate athletes in America, I have found similar players like Aaron Donald, who were told they were to short to play at the D1 level. Players like Ramsey Sites out of Oak Hill High School in Ohio were able to dominate much larger opponents using their massive strength, but also utilizing a leverage advantage to get lower than their opponents. I was always told in football that the "lower man wins", well if that is the case, than I guess Todd Gurley is correct when he states Aaron Donald is "The perfect size". I have watched players who were very tall and also very awkward get blown off the football time and time again. I then see the same player with offers from power five programs and either never see that player on the field and/or see them get blown off the football by a high octane machine coming off of the line of scrimmage. Than if the Quarterback is highly immobile, which most guys over 6'4 tend to be, it becomes a royal feast for players built for mass destruction like Donald.

It is said "Football is a game of inches", when in reality it is a game of tenth's of a second.

What makes guys like Russel Wilson, Drew Brees, Fran Tarkenton, Michael Vick and Doug Flutie extremely hard to sack? Well, they all have or had extremely quick releases when they decide to let go of the football and all of them were known for being great athletes, while improvising with uncanny results. If you ask any defensive linemen, they would rather tee off on a 6'7 Osweiler, rather than a very mobile Baker Mayfield. I really think ESPN decided to leave all the boisterous clowns on board and got rid of guys who reported the facts like Brent McMurphy. Baker Mayfield actually looked extremely good if you know quarterback play and was able to deliver darts downfield accurately, even when having to get to his 2nd or 3rd reads. Most of his passes that were not caught were a timing issue with his receiver and or just through their hands, as seen on the wide receiver screen pass in his first preseason contest against the New York Giants. When watching Baker escape the collapsing pocket to pick up critical first downs, I am reminded of the great escape artist Doug Flutie. When I witness Baker Mayfield deal the ball quickly out of the pocket, I am reminded of Drew Brees. He has great athletics at the QB position, but is not a run first QB, as we seen in the game against the Giants. He will let the play develop and has a outstanding football IQ when it comes to play concepts and where, when and how to deliver the football to his targets. Baker was coached under one of the best QB coaches in all of college football in Lincoln Riley and can complete passes based off of reading the defensive coverage or manipulate you with one on one match-ups. This is why the Browns made an outstanding first round draft pick and for once, have two outstanding quarterbacks heading into the 2018 NFL season.

The fraction of a second timed in the 40 yard dash is crucial to where a prospect lands in the draft. Avoiding pressure comes at the same cost when evaluating QB's. A Fraction to late, the ball is intercepted, a split second early and it is 6 points.

Part Two Will Feature The Top College Players At D1 FBS Level Who Are Under 5'10